NXGN: Greenwood, Rodrygo, Saka and 2020's best wonderkids

THEN: Having scored more than 200 goals at youth level for Barcelona, teenage forward Moreno was beginning to make a similar impact in Turin while having also earned a place on the first team's bench during the 2019-20 campaign.

NOW: Joined Manchester City in a swap deal in the summer of 2020 and has spent the season on loan with Spanish second division side Girona as he earns his first taste of senior football.

THEN: Already a Malaysia Under-23s international at the age of 18, Hakim had seen a move to Belgian side KV Kortrijk be put on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions.

NOW: The pocket-rocket of a forward eventually sealed his transfer to Kortrijk in the summer of 2020, and made his debut for the club against Anderlecht in November.

THEN: Having been snapped up from Bochum in in 2016, Germany youth international Unbehaun was working his way through the youth ranks at Dortmund.

NOW: Injuries have seen the 20-year-old goalkeeper appear on the substitutes' bench in the Bundesliga on a number of occasions, but he is yet to make his first-team debut at Signal Iduna Park.

THEN: Having become Ajax's youngest-ever goalscorer at the age of 16, Unuvar was being tipped to eventually replace Hakim Ziyech in the first team in Amsterdam despite reports linking him with Barcelona.

NOW: The winger has been unable to force his way into the first-team picture in 2020-21, though some improved performances for Jong Ajax in recent months suggest he remains on the right track towards success.

THEN: Had recently made his Serie A debut for the Rossoneri, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Cesare, and father, Paolo, in representing the seven-time European champions.

NOW: The creative midfielder has continued to make sporadic appearances for the Milan first team during the 2020-21 campaign, including two starts in the Europa League.

THEN: After stunning Barcelona with his decision to leave La Masia in the summer of 2019, 16-year-old midfielder Simons was beginning to impress for PSG's Under-19s side.

NOW: Having made the bench on a number of occasions, Simons made his first-team debut in February and has been a regular in the match-day squad under Mauricio Pochettino.

THEN: While still only 15, Moukoko was already being spoken about as a potential superstar, having scored freely for both the St. Pauli and Dortmund youth teams, despite playing three or four years above his actual age.

NOW: A Bundesliga rule change allowed Moukoko to make his debut immediately following his 16th birthday in November, making him the youngest player in the history of the competition. He has also since become the Champions League's youngest-ever player and the Bundesliga's youngest-ever goalscorer, with it seemingly only a matter of time before he breaks countless other records at home and on the continent.

THEN: Having been given the seal of approval by Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the Swede's time in MLS, playmaker Alvarez was beginning to earn more minutes for the Galaxy first team.

NOW: The 18-year-old continues to develop in Los Angeles, with his performances having earned him a first call-up to the senior United States squad. It remains to be seen, however, whether he will represent the USMNT or Mexico going forward.

THEN: Attacking midfielder Riccardi was attracting interest from Juventus having made his senior debut for Roma in late-2019, with some hopeful he would fill the void left by Francesco Totti at Stadio Olimpico.

NOW: Riccardi is spending the 2020-21 season on loan at Serie B side Pescara, but has made just a handful of appearances despite scoring on his debut.

THEN: The first player born in the 21st century to score in La Liga, Gil was spending the second half of the 2019-20 season on loan at Leganes in a bid to gain experience at senior level.

NOW: Gil was again loaned out in the summer of 2020, this time to Eibar, and has put in a number of eye-catching performances for the Liga strugglers, with Barcelona reportedly now keen to bring the winger to Camp Nou this summer.

THEN: Already a full Republic of Ireland international, Parrott had committed his future to Spurs after being handed his Premier League debut by Jose Mourinho midway through the 2019-20 campaign.

NOW: Parrott was sent on loan to Millwall ahead of the current season, but failed to find the net for the Lions before having the deal cut short in January. He's currently spending the final months of the campaign in League One with Ipswich Town, with whom he has just registered his first goal in senior football.

THEN: Having been at La Masia since 2012, there were fears that Konrad could be set to leave Barcelona amid interest in the United States Under-20 international from the Bundesliga.

NOW: The winger signed a new deal with the Catalan outfit, and made his first-team debut in November's Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev. Also now a full U.S. international and remains a regular in Ronald Koeman's match-day squads at Camp Nou.

THEN: Having starred for France at the 2019 Under-17 World Cup, Lihadji had been frozen out at Marseille after refusing to sign a new contract, with Manchester United and Chelsea among those being linked with his signature.

NOW: Lille eventually won the race for the teenage winger, and the France Under-21 international has been used regularly from the bench by Christophe Galtier as his side challenge for the Ligue 1 title.

THEN: The first Real Sociedad player to skip the club's 'B' team and go straight into the first-team since Antoine Griezmann, diminutive winger Barrenetxea had already found the net against Real Madrid in his short senior career.

NOW: Nineteen-year-old Barrenetxea has flitted in and out of La Real's starting XI in 2020-21 but signed a new six-year deal with his boyhood club in February.

THEN: Barcelona had already seen a bid for Portugal youth international Paulo rejected, with the striker having become a regular in the Fluminense first team.

NOW: After continuing to impress in Serie A, the 20-year-old is poised to complete a move to Atletico Madrid having run down his contract in Rio de Janeiro.

THEN: After moving to San Siro from Sochaux in the summer of 2019, France Under-17s captain Agoume was earning comparisons to Paul Pogba after making his Inter debut.

NOW: Agoume has spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Serie A newcomers Spezia and Bayern Munich among those being tipped to make a summer move for the midfielder.

THEN: The Golden Ball winner at the 2019 Under-17 World Cup, winger Veron had already broken into the Palmeiras first team, scoring twice on just his second senior appearance.

NOW: Having played a key role in Palmeiras' Copa Libertadores-winning campaign in 2020, Veron has been linked with a host of top European clubs, including Manchester United, Barcelona and Arsenal.

THEN: The former Rangers academy star was earning rave reviews after putting in dominant displays against both Liverpool and Everton shortly before football went into its coronavirus-enforced shut down.

NOW: A serious knee injury saw Gilmour miss six months of football in the latter half of 2020, and he has struggled to re-establish himself following Thomas Tuchel's arrival at Stamford Bridge.

THEN: Having become the youngest Liverpool player to appear in the FA Cup when making his debut at 16, defender Hoever was getting further opportunities to prove his worth to Jurgen Klopp in cup competitions.

NOW: The defender took the decision to join Wolves in a £10 million ($13m) deal in the summer of 2020 and, after a slow start to life at Molineux, he has begun to make regular starts in the Premier League.

THEN: Centre-back Badiashile was earning comparisons to Samuel Umtiti, having quickly become a regular in the Monaco line-up after making his first-team debut in November 2018.

NOW: Having rejected an approach from Manchester United in the summer of 2020, the 19-year-old has become a rock at the heart of Niko Kovac's defence in Ligue 1.

THEN: Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan all showed an interest in Marin before he signed his first professional contract with Dinamo in 2017, and the playmaker had begun to make his mark in the first team in Zagreb.

NOW: After struggling to hold down a regular starting berth with his boyhood club, Marin spent the first half of the 2020-21 season on loan at Monza in Serie B before returning to Croatia in January as he secured a temporary move to Lokomotiva.

THEN: The full-back started five of Benfica's six Champions League group games in 2019-20, with the Portugal Under-19 international already a key member of the senior squad at Estadio da Luz.

NOW: Having joined Alaves on loan in the summer of 2020, Tavares made just five appearances for the Spanish side before the deal was cut short in January. Currently on loan at Primeira Liga outfit Farense.

THEN: Already a full international and goalscorer for Belgium, 'the new Eden Hazard' was a regular in the Anderlecht line-up.

NOW: The winger has missed much of the last year through injury, but has retained the faith of manager Vincent Kompany when fit.

THEN: Already something of a cult hero in the eyes of Liverpool fans after scoring a stunning winner against Everton in the FA Cup, as well as the deciding penalty in a Carabao Cup shootout victory over Arsenal earlier in the 2019-20 season.

NOW: Jones continues to go from strength to strength. He has been a regular in Jurgen Klopp's midfield over the past 12 months, with the youngster well on the way to becoming Anfield's latest hometown hero.

THEN: Traore had impressed during his first 12 months in Amsterdam following his move from Ajax Cape Town, with the Burkina Faso international having found the net on his debut for Erik ten Hag's side in December 2019.

NOW: Despite scoring five goals and laying on three assists in Ajax's record-breaking 13-0 win over VVV-Venlo in October, Traore has fallen down the pecking order somewhat following the arrival of Sebastien Haller and the emergence of Brian Brobbey up front.

THEN: Watford moved quickly to sign the forward before he had even made his Fluminense debut and, after catching the eye with his performances in Brazil, he eventually made the switch to Vicarage Road in January 2020.

NOW: The 19-year-old had to wait until the Hornets' relegation from the Premier League to get a run of games under his belt, but he has been a regular source of goals and assists for the club this season as they aim to secure promotion out of the Championship.

THEN: Released by Bayern Munich at an early age, Adeyemi opted to join Salzburg over Chelsea when he turned 16, and had just made his debut for the Austrian champions.

NOW: Now a fully-fledged member of the Salzburg first-team squad, the Germany international became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League in December.

THEN: As a young American learning his trade at Dortmund, it was only natural that Reyna would earn comparisons to Christian Pulisic, but the forward was living up to the hype after becoming the youngest goalscorer in DFB-Pokal history.

NOW: A key member of Dortmund's attacking unit alongside Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho and Maro Reus, Reyna already looks at home both in the Bundesliga and Champions League, while having also made his international debut for the United States.

THEN: Having scored decisive goals in each of his first two Bayern Munich appearances, Netherlands Under-19 international Zirkzee was settling into his role as the Bavarians' main back-up for Robert Lewandowski.

NOW: Fell out of favour in the opening months of the 2020-21 season and, after being heavily linked with a move to Everton, eventually secured a loan move to Parma in January.

THEN: Both the youngest player and goalscorer in Porto history, Silva was earning comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo in his homeland after enjoying a superb youth career.

NOW: Wolves paid a club-record £35m ($47m) to bring the 18-year-old striker to Molineux in the summer of 2020, and though he has since become the club's youngest-ever Premier League goalscorer, he is still finding his feet in the English game.

THEN: Boadu was well on his way to finishing the 2019-20 season with 20 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, and having already played and scored for the Netherlands, he looked destined for big-money summer transfer.

NOW: That projected move never came but despite a slow start to the current campaign, striker Boadu has again reached double figures for Eredivisie goals, meaning that a move away from AZ remains on the cards.

THEN: Almada was being heavily linked with a move to Manchester City after continually putting in performances for Argentine side Velez that belied his tender years.

NOW: Manchester United, Barcelona and Leeds United have since also been linked with the playmaker, though he currently has a sexual assault charge hanging over his head.

THEN: The young midfielder already knew he would be leaving Las Palmas for Barcelona at the end of the season, with the Blaugrana having paid an initial €5m (£4.3m/$5.5m) to sign a player likened to Andres Iniesta.

NOW: The breakout star of the 2020-21 Liga season, the 18-year-old has wasted no time in making himself at home at Camp Nou, even striking up an excellent rapport with club captain Lionel Messi. Indeed, it has even been suggested that Pedri's emergence may help convince the Argentine to stay at Barca beyond the summer.

THEN: After becoming the youngest player in Premier League history in the spring of 2019, Liverpool moved quickly to sign the Fulham youngster that summer before handing him first-team opportunities in the early weeks of the following campaign.

NOW: Still just 17, Elliott has spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Blackburn Rovers, where he has been one of the most dangerous attacking players in the Championship for Tony Mowbray's side.

THEN: Aouchiche had made headlines in the summer of 2019 after scoring nine goals in just four games at the Under-17s European Championship, and the midfielder backed that up by finding the net in one of his first appearances for the PSG first team.

NOW: With opportunities at Parc des Princes limited, Aouchiche rejected the chance to extend his contract in Paris and instead joined Saint-Etienne on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, where he has enjoyed a breakthrough season in Ligue 1.

THEN: After being given opportunities to impress under Unai Emery, the versatile winger was impressing as a left-back under Mikel Arteta in north London.

NOW: One of the frontrunners for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season award, Saka has been a shining light for the Gunners in 2020-21, with his form having earned him his first England cap.

THEN: Already the youngest goalscorer in Lyon history, Cherki was beginning to make waves in French football having been touted as a potential generational talent throughout his youth career.

NOW: Though the 17-year-old playmaker has mostly been limited to substitute appearances in 2020-21, he continues to be linked with Real Madrid after becoming the youngest player to ever appear in a Champions League knockout game back in August.

THEN: The former La Masia star was beginning to earn regular game time under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, with City believing they had a defensive gem on their hands.

NOW: Garcia has slipped down the pecking order after informing City that he would not be renewing his contract and now looks set for a return to Barcelona this summer on a free transfer.

THEN: Regarded as one of the best young centre-backs in European football, Saliba was back on loan with boyhood club Saint-Etienne after Arsenal agreed to pay £27m ($34m) to bring the teenager to north London in the summer of 2019.

NOW: Saliba's eventual arrival at Arsenal did not go to plan, with Mikel Arteta opting against including the defender in either his Premier League or Europa League squads. Spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Nice, where he has impressed.

THEN: One of the stars of Italy's run to the Under-17s European Championship final in 2019, Esposito had already scored his first goal for the Inter first team after becoming their youngest-ever player in European competition.

NOW: The striker was sent on loan to SPAL in Serie B at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, but saw that deal ended in January. Currently plying his trade at Venezia at the same level.

THEN: After becoming Ajax's youngest-ever player in September 2018, Gravenberch was a regular in Erik ten Hag's side at the age of 17, and being compared to Paul Pogba.

NOW: Gravenberch continues to get better with more experience, and his performances this season have led to calls for him to make the Netherlands squad for this summer's European Championship.

THEN: Forced to leave Barcelona in 2016 following their FIFA-imposed transfer ban, Kubo had returned to Spain in the summer of 2019 with Madrid having broken countless J-League records in his homeland. Was spending his first season in La Liga impressing on loan at Mallorca.

NOW: Kubo's loan moves this season have not gone as well. He saw his time at Villarreal ended after just six months, and he has not been at his best so far for Getafe, whom he joined in January.

THEN: One of Europe's best teenage creative midfielders, Ihattaren could be found regularly pulling the strings for PSV.

NOW: Call-ups to the full Netherlands squad followed, but Ihattaren's time at PSV could now be coming to an end following a number of disputes with manager Roger Schmidt over the course of the 2020-21 campaign.

THEN: After winning the Golden Ball at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup as an 18-year-old, South Korea international Lee was earning regular starts for Valencia.

NOW: Following a fire sale at the end of the 2019-20 season, Lee has become a key figure in Los Che's rebuild, with the club hierarchy keen for him to begin leading from the front on the pitch.

THEN: Plucked from the fourth tier of Brazilian football in the summer of 2019, Martinelli had made a superb start to life at Arsenal, becoming the first teenager to reach double figures for goals in a single season for the club since Nicolas Anelka in 1998-99.

NOW: A knee injury saw the 19-year-old miss almost the entire first half of the 2020-21 campaign, and Martinelli has struggled to force his way back into Mikel Arteta's plans since the turn of the year.

THEN: Camavinga became an overnight star in August 2019 after a highlights clip went viral of the then-16-year-old putting in a dominant performance against Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder was soon linked with a host of top European clubs, most notably Real Madrid, as he continued to shine in Ligue 1.

FAR: Though he has suffered a minor dip in form in recent weeks, Camavinga remains one of the very best teenage talents anywhere in the world and became France's youngest goalscorer in over a century a month after making his senior international debut.

THEN: The latest teenager to swap Brazil for the Bernabeu, Madrid paid €35m (£29m/$39m) in January 2020 to sign the Flamengo playmaker, who had been likened to Kaka in South America.

NOW: Reinier joined Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, but almost saw the deal ended after six months because of his inability to make any kind of impact in the Bundesliga. Returns to Spain were mooted, but the 19-year-old has shown improved form in recent months, and scored his first senior goal in European football in February.

THEN: Having been spoken about in hushed tones around Manchester United's Carrington training base for much of his youth career, the two-footed forward was beginning to find his feet in the Premier League and had already become the clubs' youngest-ever goalscorer in European competition.

NOW: Greenwood enjoyed a superb end to the 2019-20 campaign, with his form earning him a first England cap in September. Though he has not always maintained that level of performance this season, he remains a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's attacking unit at Old Trafford.

THEN: Having beaten Real Madrid to the signing of Fati, Barcelona took the almost unheard of decision to promote the forward to the club's first-team squad in the summer of 2019 despite him having never played for the club's 'B' team. He rewarded them by breaking countless goalscoring records, including becoming the youngest ever player to find the net in the Champions League in December of the same year.

NOW: Though Fati's form dipped towards the end of the 2019-20 campaign, he was back to his best at the start of the current season, with his performances earning him a first Spain call-up. Within a month, he was La Roja's youngest-ever goalscorer, and only a knee injury suffered in November has stopped the 18-year-old from breaking yet more records.

THEN: Having made his Santos debut at the age of 16 in 2017, Rodrygo joined Madrid 18 months later in a deal worth €45m (£40m/$50m). He marked his Blancos debut with a goal after 93 seconds before scoring a perfect hat-trick on his first Champions League start. In addition, he had already been capped twice by Brazil.

NOW: Though Rodrygo has been unable to maintain his fine early goal record at Santiago Bernabeu, he remains one of the best young attacking talents in Spanish football, with Zinedine Zidane having shown over the past year that he is not afraid to throw the 20-year-old into huge La Liga and Champions League fixtures.